Here are a few tombstones
of Black Hawk War Veterans
that I have found so far in Peoria County. If you have any pictures
that you would like to share,
please
email me anytime!

Thank you kindly!

James J. Adams is buried
in the Walker Cemetery

Avery Dalton is buried in the Elmwood
Township
Cemetery

Wait Honsinger is buried in the Elmwood
Township
Cemetery

David Ridgway is buried in Lowman Cemetery
in Runnels, IowaThe biography and photo was
submitted by Brock Ridgway

Abner Harkness Smith is buried in the
Elmwood Township
Cemetery

CHAPTER XIII.
WAR RECORD.

Since Americans began to occupy the land of the Peorias
in the Spring of 1819, three wars have disturbed the peaceful pursuits of the
country — the Black Hawk war of 1832, the Mexican war in 1846-7, and the war of
the rebellion, 1861-5. In each of these conflicts the sons of Peoria sustained a
gallant and conspicuous part.
When, on the 6th day of April, 1832, Black Hawk and his
followers invaded Illinois from Iowa, there were only seventy-five men in Peoria
county, subject to military duty. When this work was commenced it was hoped that
the names of these men could be obtained from the old muster rolls, but the hope
was a vain one. There are no papers among the county records on which their
names were preserved, and a letter of inquiry was addressed to the
Adjutant-General of the State, at Springfield, and another to the
Adjutant-General's office at Washington, and their names were not to be found on
any records at either place.
Having thus exhausted all official sources of
information, recourse was had to the memory of Mr. John Stringer, of Kickapoo
township, who was a corporal in the Peoria company that served for two months or
sixty days in the second campaign against Black Hawk and his forces, who
furnishes the following names from among the seventy-five subject to military
duty at that time:

Out of the number of men liable to military duty, a
company of fifty men was raised under the call of Governor Reynolds for troops
to defend the State. As far as remembered, this company was officered as
follows:
Abner Eads, captain; William Stewart, first lieutenant;
John W. Caldwell, second lieutenant; John Hinkle, orderly sergeant; John
Stringer, corporal; Stephen Carroll, flag bearer; Asahel Langworthy, surgeon.
This company, a part of the time, was assigned to guard
the country between Peoria and the Mississippi and Rock rivers. It was present
at the Stillman's Run affair, and among the last to leave that field of
disaster.
The men with horses and guns were allowed one dollar
per day. They were mustered out in the early part of June, 1832, and were paid
off in January or February, 1833. (The History of Peoria County, Illinois, 1880, page 351-352,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

Here is a list of additional
names gleaned from the Illinois State Archives database. For more detailed
information (brigade, regiment, and company information) about these Black Hawk
Veterans, please visit the
Illinois
State Archives database of Military Veterans.